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Change starts here and now

EDITOR:

By now, most of us have heard about the school shooting in Florida — more children and adults dead in a place they should have been safe. I’m not sure why, but this shooting changed something in me and I hope it changes something in you too. We can’t afford to sit around and wait for our government to implement changes to protect our children and those who teach them. Since Columbine in 1999, we have been told time and time again that change is coming, but it never does. What do we get? We get politicians waxing poetically about guns or mental health. Always talking, never changing, and our children still die. We can’t wait any longer, we can’t afford to not act. It could take years for anything to change at that level, if it even changes at all.

I believe it starts here and now, it starts when our communities rise up and make a difference. It starts when we act instead of simply stare at the issue, hoping it will go away. It starts when people like you and me decide enough is enough and stand together to fight this evil. It starts with prayer, but ends with action. This evil will spread, it will only get worse if we continue to cover our eyes and pretend we don’t see.

My biggest fear is that one day I will be one of those parents on TV. I will be standing there wondering how this happened, wondering if my child is okay. I don’t believe this fear has to come true. I don’t believe this is the legacy we leave for our children — that we stood there doing nothing when we could have acted.

We live in a beautiful place with people who care, we can make a major difference in our schools and in our streets. I believe this can be a wake-up call for all of us. We can’t stop what happened in the past, but we can band together in love, unity, and hope and prevent it from ever happening again. We can work together to implement programs that work for our children, we can change the narrative we are telling, and we can protect our children and teachers.

We the people have the power to do great things. I think it is time for Delta Country citizens to step up, step out, and do these great things. I’m ready, are you?

Brianna Ecklid

Gladstone

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